Early Signs of Menopause
What are the early signs of Menopause
The symptoms of early menopause are a natural part of aging that changes that take place are not only physical, but also physiological. The early signs of menopause vary from woman to woman, not all symptoms are experienced. The early stages of menopause are referred to as being in a stage known as perimenopause, this is a stage in a woman's reproductive life when less estrogen is produced. It usually starts amongst woman in their 40s, some as early as 35, for some it can start as early as 30. Perimenopause will last right up until menopause, menopause is when your ovaries stop releasing eggs.
Although the amount of estrogen produced has already been reducing over the years, in the last two years it will decline dramatically which causes the symptoms and early signs of menopause.
Some of the more common early signs that menopause is taking place or going to take place are:
Early signs of menopause in the menstrual Cycle
Irregular menstrual bleeding varies from woman to woman, whilst it is very common for a woman to have two irregular periods per year, it could be a sign of early menopause. The time between your periods may lengthen or shorten or may just be unpredictable, spotting or heavy than usual blood flow is common.
Mood Swings/irritability
Woman experience mood swings at various points in their live, whether this is due to pregnancy or PMS or just a bad day. It is very common to experience shifts in your moods during the menopausal transition. This may be the first early signs of menopause and the one women notice, and may be quite frustrating. Although doctors are not sure what causes mood swings in menopausal woman, it is thought that fluctuating hormones is a huge factor. Your body will no longer produce eggs for fertilization, as a result the hormones your body produces to trigger ovulation and menstruation are no produced. This can cause your periods to become more erratic, making the hormones like a roller coaster up and down.
Hot Flushes- Most common early signs of menopause
In menopause hot flushes can be a early signs of menopause, they occur due to vasomotor instability, this can be dropping levels in the hormones. This has a direct effect on the bodies thermostat (hypothalamus), this is the part of the brain that is responsible for controlling your appetite, sleep cycles, sex hormones and the body temperature. Medical professional; s are not completely sure why this happens, but the drop in the female hormone estrogen confuses the hypothalamus causing it to read to hot on the thermostat so to speak. It is thought that 75% of women experience hot flushes during the perimenopause, 85% of women are thought to have hot flushes for more than one year.
Other Symptoms can occur in the perimenopause stage such as the following:
- Headaches
- Night sweats
- Palpitations
- Insomnia
- Joint aches
Although it is thought the causes of these are directly connected to the change in the hormone levels, doctors are not sure. Every woman's experience is different and no two menopause's are the same, not all woman will experiance early signs of menopause.
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